Words by Charlotte Lindsay
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of or seen a “green juice” on the drink menu at your gym or health food store. While the thought of juice made green by hidden vegetables might not immediately seem appetising, it’s nothing to turn up your nose at. Don’t knock it till you try it!
You may be wondering why juicing is so popular, well, there are many reasons for the hype. Perhaps you aren't one who enjoys eating fruits and vegetables. If that’s the case, juice makes getting these key nutrients painless and convenient. Simply drink your 5-a-day to help keep health issues away. Cold press juice not only increases your daily consumption of fruits and vegetables, but by having them in a juice form you also increase the absorption of nutrients… sounds pretty great, right?
In case you need more convincing, regular consumption of fruit and veg juice is good for your outsides as well as your insides. Celery juice in particular can help individuals to heal from skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis. But in addition to these skin benefits, juice has also been known to help regulate blood pressure and gut function.
So, let's talk about how to introduce nutrient-rich juices into your everyday diet.
HOW TO INCORPORATE JUICE INTO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE
I am sure you will have been witness to, if not having personally been on, a juicing fad or cleanse. However, you need to create healthy habits, not just follow a craze temporarily. By being committed, you will truly see the benefits and are more likely to keep this in your routine longterm.
A juice a day has been shown to boost the amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in your blood flow, which are all essential factors that your body needs in order to function properly. And lest I forget to mention, these key nutrients give your immune system a most welcome boost! However, juice is not necessarily better than eating meals, whole fruits and vegetables. It is a great way to pair a healthy juice with a meal or have a refreshing drink between meals to help increase your daily intake of fruit and veg and work on your targeted health issues, but they should not be meal replacements.
Why not try a freshly pressed green juice with your morning yogurt bowl? Or if you’re after something that packs a punch, perhaps a heartwarming ginger and carrot juice to replace your “elevenses” biscuits and cuppa. Looking to detox? Try a beetroot blood-cleansing juice as a late afternoon pick me up. The point is, one you get into the habit, it's rather easy to swap a coffee or cuppa for a juice in-between or alongside meals, give it a shot (no pun intended) and you'll be sure to feel your body thank you for it in no time.
Juicy juicing tips:
-
Notice the frothy pulp that floats at the top of your juice glass? Do not discard it, drink it up, for this is where the fibre lays and is key to managing blood sugar levels.
-
It is easy to pack in all the sweet and sumptuous fruits to your juice. But, don’t go overboard on the apples, beets, and pineapples for example, as it’ll quickly become more sugary than healthy.
-
Blueberries and raspberries are the perfect ingredients to add a sweet note to your juice. These fruits are naturally low in sugar, but pack a punch of flavour. They are the perfect addition to any juice.
KEY INGREDIENTS FOR ANY HEALTHY JUICE BASE
Celery
The golden ingredient when it comes to juicing. Celery supports digestion, reduces blood pressures, aids in healing skin problems, cleanses blood, oh and calms the nervous system… honestly, what doesn't celery do? It’s the perfect add-on to any juice recipe.
Parsley
Time to up your parsley intake! This healthy herb supports the health of many essential parts of our bodies, from eye health to heart health, bone health to skin health, digestive and gut health to, well, a never ending list…Flavourful and loaded with body boosting benefits… What are you waiting for?
CLEAN JUICE RECIPES TO TRY
The skin health recipe
Ingredients (serves 2):
1 bunch of celery
1 large cucumber
2 green apples
300g chopped pineapple
1 bag spinach
1 bunch of mint
3 limes (pealed)
Method:
-
Rinse all of your produce and chop it into chunks
-
Gradually add the prepared fruit, veg and herbs into your juicer
-
Once you have juiced all your ingredients, pour into your favourite glass, stir and enjoy!
The gut health recipe
Ingredients (serves 2):
2 punches parsley
3 carrots
1 ginger root
1 bunch celery
2 grapefruits (pealed)
1 cucumber
2 teaspoons AVC
Method:
-
Rinse all of your produce and chop it into chunks
-
Gradually add the prepared fruit, veg and herbs into your juicer
-
Once you have juiced all your ingredients, pour into your favourite glass, stir and enjoy!
The blood health recipe
Ingredients (serves 2):
2 beetroots
2 red apples (peeled)
1 bunch celery stalks
2 carrots
250g box raspberries
1 small piece of ginger
1 bunch mint
Method:
-
Rinse all of your produce and chop it into chunks
-
Gradually add the prepared fruit, veg and herbs into your juicer
-
Once you have juiced all your ingredients, pour into your favourite glass, stir and enjoy!
HOW TO TURN YOUR JUICE INTO A LUSCIOUS SMOOTHIE
If a juice just is not your thing, but you want the benefits that come along with them, why not add some density to your juice and create a more smoothie like consistency. To do this, try blending your juice with some banana or avocado. There are many options, so why not get experimental, juice, smoothie or even a smoothie bowl, what is on the cards today?
CONCLUSION
Hopefully these recipes have demystified pressed juice a little bit. All you need to start making some delicious and nutritious juice is a basket full of your fruits and vegetables and a little planning to work them into your routine. Your body will surely thank you for giving these clean juice recipes a try. The only question is which one will you try first?
